Says workers can form a union whenever they want and he cannot stop them; they just do not want to.
"They can form a union whenever they want & there’s nothing I can do to stop them. California is a very pro-union state. They just don’t want to."
What about unions at Tesla?
Q3914 answers2018-2024
Short answer
He dislikes anything creating 'lords and peasants'; the real challenge is retaining people for hard work.
All 14 answers, oldest to newest
Says nothing stops the Fremont team voting union, but asks why they would pay dues and give up stock options.
"Nothing stopping Tesla team at our car plant from voting union. Could do so tmrw if they wanted. But why pay union dues & give up stock options for nothing?"
Says the factory injury rate under UAW with Toyota/GM was twice today’s non-union rate.
"Workplace injury rate of our factory when it was UAW w Toyota/GM was twice as high as today’s non-union."
He says the UAW chose to leave the Fremont plant before Tesla arrived, and Tesla is the reason people there have jobs.
"UAW *chose* to exit this plant before Tesla even arrived. We had nothing to do with UAW leaving, but everything to do with why people here have jobs."
He accuses the UAW of driving GM and Chrysler into bankruptcy and abandoning NUMMI workers, the plant Tesla took over.
"They drove GM & Chrysler to bankruptcy & lost 200,000+ jobs for people they were supposed to protect, incl abandoning NUMMI plant workers.Tesla took over & now it has 10k+ jobs."
Says he has never stopped a union vote or removed a union; UAW abandoned the factory.
"I’ve never stopped a union vote nor removed a union. UAW abandoned this factory. Tesla arrived & gave people back their jobs."
Endorses freedom to form a union, and freedom not to.
"I endorse freedom to form a union too, as well as freedom not to do so if they feel Tesla is a good company."
Says Tesla has always provided healthcare, hourly wages above union and Tesla stock.
"We’ve always provided healthcare, hourly wages above union & Tesla stock."
Says he is not against all unions, but the UAW has a record of destroying productivity.
"I’m not against all unions, but UAW has a track record of destroying productivity so a company can’t compete on world market. Our current factory went bankrupt under UAW before we took it over."
Says the UAW lacks the 30% of signatures needed for a union vote at Fremont.
"UAW doesn’t have 30% of signatures (about 6000 people) needed for a vote. They can’t even muster enough people for a free bbq."
Says workers in pro-union California can form a union anytime, but the UAW can’t get enough signatures.
"People can form a union tomorrow & nothing Tesla could do to stop it."
He dislikes anything creating 'lords and peasants'; the real challenge is retaining people for hard work.
"I just don't like anything which creates kind of Lords and peasants"
Asked What exactly is the reason for this, he said most of the Democratic Party is controlled by the unions – they carry far more weight than the environmentalists – and Biden particularly so (he gladly admits it). In Biden’s speech, posted on he literally says “the U...
"Most of the Democratic Party is controlled by the unions – they carry far more weight than the environmentalists – and Biden particularly so (he gladly admits it). In Biden’s speech, posted on he literally says “the UAW elected me”. The White House cold shoulder started well before I “said controversial things”."
He said true. The actual bad thing is monopolistic behavior, whether by companies or unions (which are also companies).
"True. The actual bad thing is monopolistic behavior, whether by companies or unions (which are also companies)."
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